1 Virtue Ethics Soazig Le Bihan -- University of Montana

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Virtue EthicsVirtue Ethics

Soazig Le Bihan -- University of Montana

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IntroductionIntroduction

Common feature of the two theories we have seen:

Morality = abstract and general rules

Virtue Ethics: There is no absolute rule nor general recipe: we face particular situations for which we need to make the right particular decisions.

- Ethics must be based on concrete experience

- Ethics is like the art of construction, not the science of geometry:

Any decision is objective, but flexible and context-dependent


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AristotleAristotle

The philosopher (4th century BCE)

- Socrates, Plato, Aristotle

- The lyceum

- Research in all domains

- Empiricist

The importance of ethics

- Nichomachean Ethics

- First separated, systematic treatment


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OutlineOutline

The good life: the life of a virtuous man


Virtues: what are they?

Virtues: how to acquire them?

Conclusion on Virtue Ethics

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OutlineOutline

The good life: the life of a virtuous man The good life: the life of a virtuous man





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The Good life: The Life of a The Good life: The Life of a Virtuous ManVirtuous Man

Who needs Ethics?

- Experiences

- The need for a sound and concrete plan to lead a good life

How to do Ethics?

- No general recipe

- Follow role models


What is it to be a man of virtue? What is it to be a man of virtue?

Virtue Ethics:

Virtue Ethics is the view that what is right to do is to do whatever a man of virtue would do

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The Good life: The Life of a Virtuous ManThe Good life: The Life of a Virtuous ManPractical WisdomPractical Wisdom

Practical Wisdom:

The man of virtue lives according to reason

Argument: Living according to reason is the only way to flourish as a human being

- Life shared with plants

- Sentience and mobility shared with animals

- Reason: humans only


Practical Wisdom:

The man of virtue is committed to action

Note: the hermit in the mountain is not a man of virtue

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The Good life: The Life of a Virtuous ManThe Good life: The Life of a Virtuous ManPractical WisdomPractical Wisdom

“Just as at the Olympic Games it is not the best-looking or the strongest men present that are crowned with wreaths, but the competitors (because it is from them that the winners come), so it is those who act that rightly win the honors and rewards in life”


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The Good life: The Life of a Virtuous ManThe Good life: The Life of a Virtuous ManVirtue and PleasureVirtue and Pleasure

The man of virtue enjoys being virtuous:


Thinks? Acts? Feels?

Vicious Wrong way Wrong way Wrong way

Incontinent Right way Wrong way Wrong way

Continent Right way Right way Wrong way

Virtuous Right way Right way Right way

Feelings and emotions taken into account Feelings and emotions taken into account

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The Good life: The Life of a Virtuous ManThe Good life: The Life of a Virtuous ManMorality and PleasureMorality and Pleasure

“Indeed, we may go further and assert that anyone who does not delight in fine actions is not even a good man; for nobody would say that a man is just unless he enjoys acting justly, nor liberal unless he enjoys liberal actions, and similarly in all the other cases. If this is so, then virtuous actions must be pleasurable in themselves.”


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The Good life: The Life of a Virtuous ManThe Good life: The Life of a Virtuous ManConclusionConclusion


Ethics: A sound and concrete plan for a good life

Virtue Ethics: what is right is to do whatever the man of virtue would do

The life of the man of virtue:- The man of virtue lives according to reason- The man of virtue is committed to action- The man of virtue enjoys being virtuous

Ethics: A sound and concrete plan for a good life


The life of the man of virtue:- The man of virtue lives according to reason- The man of virtue is committed to action- The man of virtue enjoys being virtuous

Virtue Ethics: a fully human life Virtue Ethics: a fully human life

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OutlineOutline



Virtues: what are they?Virtues: what are they?



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Virtues: What are they? Virtues: What are they? A List of VirtuesA List of Virtues

A virtue for each sphere of “grounding experience” which together define the fully human life


Grounding Experience

Virtue

Important Damages Courage

Body Moderation

Limited Resources Justice

Personal Property Generosity

Self-appreciation Greatness of Soul

Mild damages Mildness of temper

Speech Truthfulness

Social association Grace, Friendliness

Others’ fortune Proper Judgment

Conduct Practical wisdom

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Virtues: What are they? Virtues: What are they? The Appropriate Emotional ResponseThe Appropriate Emotional Response

Example: Courage

- Grounding experience: important damages – death

- Emotion: Fear – an important part of our lives

- Courage: the appropriate amount of fear

Virtues:

Virtues are tendencies to display the emotional response which is appropriate to the situation at hand.


What is the appropriate response? What is the appropriate response?

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Virtues: What are they? Virtues: What are they? The Doctrine of the MeanThe Doctrine of the Mean

Virtues as a mean between two excesses


Grounding Experience

Deficiency Virtue Excess

Important Damages

Cowardice Courage Rashness

Personal Property Stinginess Generosity Wastefulness

Body Intemperance

Moderation Ascetism

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Virtues: What are they? Virtues: What are they? DisclaimersDisclaimers

Strong emotions are not always bad:

The appropriate emotional response can be strong – but is still a mean!

No General Rule:

What counts as the appropriate response depends on the particular circumstances – but is still objective!


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Virtues: What are they?Virtues: What are they?ConclusionConclusion

Virtues: - One virtue for each sphere of grounding

experiences - Virtues are tendencies to display the

emotional response which is appropriate to the situation at hand.

- The right kind of emotional response is a mean between two excesses

Virtues: - One virtue for each sphere of grounding

experiences - Virtues are tendencies to display the

emotional response which is appropriate to the situation at hand.

- The right kind of emotional response is a mean between two excesses


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OutlineOutline




Virtues: how to acquire them? Virtues: how to acquire them?


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Virtues : How are they acquired? Virtues : How are they acquired? Human NatureHuman Nature

Human’s nature: good or bad?

- Men are not naturally good

- Men are not naturally bad

The true nature of men is to be malleable – i.e to have a capacity for change


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Virtues : How are they acquired? Virtues : How are they acquired? HabituationHabituation


Virtues and Vices are acquired by habituation:

- We learn how to be virtuous in practicing virtue

- Virtues become second natures

- Analogy: learning a language or how to play an instrument

- Example: Food

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Virtues : How are they acquired? Virtues : How are they acquired? Human nature and habituationHuman nature and habituation


“In a word then, like activities produce like dispositions. Hence we must give our activities a certain quality, because it is their characteristics that determine the resulting dispositions. So it is a matter of no little importance what sorts of habits we form from the earliest age – it makes a vast difference, or rather all the difference in the world...”

It goes both ways ! It goes both ways !

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Virtues : How are they acquired? Virtues : How are they acquired? Human nature and habituationHuman nature and habituation


How do we acquire virtues? - Human nature is to be malleable- Virtues – and vices! – are acquired by

habituation We become virtuous in acting like virtuous

people We ARE truly virtuous when the virtue has

become a second nature

How do we acquire virtues? - Human nature is to be malleable- Virtues – and vices! – are acquired by

habituation We become virtuous in acting like virtuous

people We ARE truly virtuous when the virtue has

become a second nature

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OutlineOutline





Conclusion on Virtue EthicsConclusion on Virtue Ethics

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Virtue EthicsVirtue Ethics

Method: No general rule – flexibility without giving up on objectivity

Ethics: a sound and concrete plan to lead a good life


The life of the man of virtue: The man of virtue lives according to reason, is committed to action, and enjoys being virtuous

Virtues are tendencies to display the emotional response which is appropriate to the situation at hand -- a mean between two excesses – and are acquired by habituation

Method: No general rule – flexibility without giving up on objectivity

Ethics: a sound and concrete plan to lead a good life


The life of the man of virtue: The man of virtue lives according to reason, is committed to action, and enjoys being virtuous

Virtues are tendencies to display the emotional response which is appropriate to the situation at hand -- a mean between two excesses – and are acquired by habituation


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Virtue Ethics Virtue Ethics What to take from it? What to take from it?

Advantages:

- A fuller notion of humanity – including emotions and feelings

- A more concrete and practical take on morality – dependence on context

Problems:

- Incompleteness? does not give answers – compare with utilitarianism

- No absolute rule – compare with duty theory


Documents

1 Virtue Ethics Soazig Le Bihan -- University of Montana